The Devil's Light
by Puss In Heels
Summary: Apollo's working with Edgeworth and Kay to take down a dangerous crime syndicate when his former mentor breaks out of prison. What's he really after? Can Apollo trust him again? Sequel to Yes, Sir, but can stand alone.
1. Warning

So...happy 2011 everyone! And I have been working very hard on preparing this fic for the new year. Surprise! It's a sequel!

There are a few things you should know about this story. This isn't a direct sequel to _Yes, Sir_. You don't have to read _Yes, Sir_ first to understand this story, but I'm writing on the basis that everything that happened in _Yes, Sir _happened before this story begins. Also, while it is a Kristoph/Apollo story, it's less fluff, more drama, and there are plenty of other important characters that I didn't get the opportunity to include before.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Ace Attorney series or its characters.

* * *

"H-HEY!"

"What's wrong?"

"Th-the guards! They're dead!"

"What!"

"A prisoner escaped from solitary!"

"How the heck?"

"He killed them all! Every guard on the floor!"

"Which cell?"

"Solitary cell 13!"

"Gavin…damn…where is he?"

"There's no trace of him!"

"Bloody hell."

()()()()

It was 4 am. Apollo was alone in his apartment, wide awake, practicing his "Chords of Steel." Over the past few months, his voice became legendary, and there were many people who gave them a new name – Chords of Fear – for the fact that they would strike fear into the hearts of those who dared disagree with Apollo Justice. Of course, anyone who knew Apollo knew that was pure folly, but with this newfound image to protect, Apollo couldn't help but practice.

It was during this routine that Apollo's phone rang, and Apollo jumped up, startled by the sound of his home phone. Apollo went over to answer it, not recognizing the number on the caller id.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, Justice."

Apollo's heart jumped. He recognized that voice – a voice that oozed icy venom with every uttered syllable.

"Mr. G-Gavin, sir?"

"Now now, no need to call me 'sir' anymore."

"Wh-what the hell are you doing? You're supposed to…"

"Ah, yes. There is a place I'm SUPPOSED to be, but as you know, I don't always do as I'm told."

"I'm calling the police."

"You call the police, and I will kill the lovely lady across the way you've been admiring for years."

Apollo glared out the window. There was a woman who lived there, and of course, he'd told Kristoph about her some years ago. She wasn't awake yet, but Apollo saw something across the way that nearly made him sick. Kristoph wasn't bluffing. He was already in her apartment.

"Why are you calling me…Kristoph?" Even now, calling his former mentor "Kristoph" seemed foreign to him.

"Ah…a valid question. I actually am calling you to warn you, Mr. Justice."

"Wh..what?"

"Your trial tomorrow…there's a certain witness who's testifying against your client. He's dangerous."

Apollo listened intently, while picking up his cell phone. He dialed a number and set both of his phones on speaker as Kristoph began to talk.

()()()()

Klavier did NOT like getting up early. More importantly, he did not like being rudely awakened at 4:30 in the morning by his irritating alarm clock.

However, as a prosecutor, Klavier knew full well that crime didn't sleep. As his "Guitar's Serenade" ringtone kept playing, Klavier fumbled for the phone and looked at the caller ID. Why would Forehead be calling him now?

"Forehead?"

Klavier realized something was wrong. He heard Apollo's voice, but he also heard another familiar voice – a voice that should have been in prison. Klavier quickly stopped talking and began recording the conversation.

"Mr. Gavin…you didn't answer my question. Why bother calling me?"

"Call me sentimental."

"I know full well that you're not sentimental."

"Hmm…well, you would. You're going to help me, Apollo, whether you like it or not."

"You're being intentionally vague. Spit it out!"

"Volume, Justice…"

"Sorry…wait, I don't need to apologize…"

"I'm being vague, my dear boy, because someone called the police when I specifically told them not to."

"I didn't!"

"Or…you called a certain person in the prosecutor's office."

At this, Klavier mentally cursed. He tried to get to his home phone, but Kristoph said something that made Klavier stop dead.

"Klavier…you've got a crime scene…Mr. Justice can give you the address."

"No! Wait!"

*BANG*

Klavier heard Kristoph hang up after the gunshot, and Klavier practically shouted into the phone.

"Forehead! What the hell's going on!"

"He…he just shot her! I don't know what he wants, or why he's…he was in the apartment across the street."

"Mein Gott…meet me there, Forehead. I'll call Detective Skye."

Apollo noticed the lack of the word "Fraulein" and quickly gave the address before throwing the phone against the wall. What the hell did Kristoph want? Apollo grabbed his jacket and tried to exit the apartment. He opened the door only to be greeted by a pistol in his face.

"Ah…now I can discuss things."

"Mr. Gavin…you…"

"I'm an evil man, Justice. I do a lot of things you don't approve of."

Apollo didn't dare make any sudden movements. He raised his arms above his head and let Kristoph into the apartment.

"My my, Justice…nice Victorian furniture…even if they're knockoffs…"

"I trust you didn't come here to be my interior decorator."

"Now, Justice. Whatever happened to small talk?"

"Get to the point."

Kristoph sighed and shrugged.

"I want to rekindle what we had, Apollo."

Apollo shook his head, still glaring at his former mentor.

"What we had? What we had…it was all lies. You used me…"

"And Wright did not?"

"Grr..."

"If you don't want to listen, that's fine. But watch out for that witness who's testifying tomorrow," Kristoph said tersely. Apollo continued to glare, his face bearing no hint of the nearly familial relationship the two once shared.

"Mr. Gavin…why?"

"I'm warning you Justice…just…please…watch your back," Kristoph whispered, and Apollo couldn't help but notice a curious look in his former mentor's eyes, and despite his talent at reading people, he couldn't read the man standing before him. Kristoph smiled and, with his gun raised, exited the apartment.

()()()()

Kristoph quickly escaped the building and slipped into a dark alleyway. He smiled as he made his way back to his hideout. Even he didn't know his motivations for helping Apollo. Regardless, he was out now. He had the opportunity to exact his revenge.

()()()()

"You're late, Forehead."

"I…I know. I was…"

Apollo trailed off as his eyes kept focusing on the corpse of his neighbor, which was currently being photographed by a frazzled Detective Skye. Klavier took notice of the attorney's expression, and his eyes softened.

"Justice...we'll catch him. You're positive you saw Kris...I mean the criminal's face?"

"He showed me on purpose, Klavier."

Klavier nodded and walked over to where the scientific detective was still taking snapshots.

"Fraulein, I am going to excuse myself. I can call another prosecutor if…"

"Gavin, it's okay," Ema said quietly, her voice lacking her usual irritation and sarcasm when talking with the prosecutor. "Besides…the only prosecutor you could get is Payne, and that's almost like negative investigating."

Klavier smiled for the first time all morning.

"Thanks, Detective."

As Klavier left, he motioned for Apollo to follow him. Klavier left the building briskly, with Apollo hurrying on his heels.

"Forehead…what else did Kristoph say to you? And I'm not asking as a prosecutor right now, but…"

"He stopped by my apartment…"

"Wh-what?"

"He came to warn me about a witness at the trial tomorrow."

"You have a trial?"

"Yeah…Payne's prosecuting. Anyway, all he told me was to watch my back."

"But…why?"

"I don't know. But one thing's for sure...he didn't break out of prison just to tell me that."

"Ja…" Klavier trailed off, looking away.

"Hey…Prosecutor Gavin?"

"Ja?"

"Do you…ever think that there was a mistake? Sometimes, I just think the whole thing is so impossible…"

"You mean Kristoph?"

"Yeah. I mean…he took me in. He's the reason I have a career. I just don't understand why an evil man would bother…"

"Forehead. I've spent 25 years trying to figure out my brother, and I still don't understand him. But you saw it. He murdered an innocent woman for no reason other than to drive you crazy. That's all we need to know."

"I suppose. Klavier…are you doing alright?" Apollo asked quickly, realizing how conflicted the prosecutor must be feeling.

"Nein…I'm not. But you're probably doing worse, ja? Get some sleep."

()()()()

Phoenix Wright arrived at the Wright Anything Agency earlier than usual with the intention of cleaning. The place was so messy that it violated fire code, so Phoenix arrived at seven, sighing as he tossed his hoodie onto a nearby couch. Of course, being able to find any kind of cleaning supplies under all the garbage would take effort, and he really wasn't in the mood. As luck would have it, his cell phone rang before he had to scrape one speck of bunny manure from the office floor.

"Hey Mister Wright."

"Ah…Ema. How are you?"

"This isn't a social call, Phoenix."

Ema's tone was serious, so Phoenix listened intently.

"Kristoph Gavin escaped from jail earlier this morning."

"What?"

"That's not the worst of it. He also murdered some woman who…"

"Murder?"

"Yeah. He killed her while on the phone with your spiky apprentice."

"Did you catch him?"

"Would I have called you if we had? We're thinking that you, Apollo, and Klavier are all possible targets, so you need to be on your guard."

"But why now? He could have escaped months ago if revenge was his motivation."

"I have no idea. But you should watch yourself."

Phoenix hung up the phone as Apollo entered the office looking absolutely miserable. His hair was disheveled, and his clothes were an absolute mess.

"Apollo, are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"I heard about Kristoph."

"I said I'm fine."

Apollo turned and raced into his office, slamming the door behind him. Phoenix stared at the door, trying to figure it all out.

Phoenix could think of only one reason Kristoph would choose this morning to escape. It had something to do with the trial ahead.

* * *

I know this is a serious beginning, but trust me. More lightheartedness will slip through eventually.


	2. Poison

Alright, the first chapter was a bit of a prologue. This begins to get into the main part of the story, and I hope you all enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own the ace attorney series or any of its characters, nor am I profiting from this work.

* * *

"Are you ready, Justice?"

"Yes…Mr. Edgeworth."

Apollo sat at his desk as the older prosecutor stood before him, very seriously studying the case files. They had become sort of an odd pairing – a young defense attorney and a veteran prosecutor working tirelessly on a very strange case. Both of the men knew the young woman was innocent, and the prosecutor's office was using the trial to try and expose a true killer in the courtroom. A strange tactic, but Apollo had agreed to assist if it would help find the truth.

"Edgeworth, let me go through this with you to prepare," Apollo said quickly, shuffling his papers. "The elderly Mr. Ty Reed was murdered in his room two nights ago. He was poisoned, and the suspect is his medical caregiver, Alice Chin."

"However, we found evidence of Mr. Reed's previous involvement with a certain group we've been investigating," Edgeworth continued. "He was a dying man, and he had recently arranged to talk to police about his involvement as a deathbed confession."

"But he was poisoned before he could make that happen," Apollo finished, closing his file. Edgeworth simply nodded at the young man, who seemed to be seriously preoccupied with something.

"Justice, the prosecutor's office gave this case to Payne because they're relying on you for the truth. There are two options. One is that Miss Chin was framed to cover up this crime syndicate's involvement. The other is that she DID commit the crime because she is connected to the crime syndicate," Edgeworth said simply.

"But I don't think she would be proclaiming her innocence this much if she was part of the syndicate. It doesn't make sense."

Edgeworth smirked.

"Of course, Payne knows nothing about the syndicate, and I'm sure he has an alternate motive. Tread carefully...you have no evidence supporting the syndicate theory at all, even if we logically know it's true."

"I know. If Alice Chin is innocent, then there must be a flaw in Payne's logic…" Apollo said a little too forcefully. Edgeworth winced.

"Are you…always this loud?" Edgeworth muttered, still cringing. Apollo's face fell as Kristoph's voice lingered in the back of his mind. Edgeworth raised his eyebrow. "Is something wrong?"

"No…sorry. Anyway, how's Miss Faraday doing?" Apollo muttered sheepishly, hastily changing the subject. Edgeworth quickly shifted back to business.

"She's infiltrated the syndicate successfully. She'll provide information to us as needed."

"Are you worried?" Apollo asked. Edgeworth shifted uncomfortably.

"She is a very well-trained undercover officer. This is her job, and she's good at it."

"You're worried about her…"

"No, I'm just…"

"You can't lie to me. You grit your teeth slightly when you lie."

"She'll be fine," Edgeworth muttered. It didn't matter how old Kay got; he would always worry about her like Wright would worry about Maya.

"Hey, Mr. Edgeworth? Why did you ask me to work on this case and not Mr. Wright?"

"Wright is still working on implementing the jurist system, and that's almost a full-time job. He also mentioned your ability, and I thought it would come in handy…"

"Edgeworth…you, me, Kay, Agent Lang, Gumshoe…we're going to bring this syndicate to its knees."

"Well spoken, Justice. Now, good luck at the trial tomorrow."

Edgeworth bowed before quickly exiting the room. After he left, Apollo sighed. He pulled out the court record and continued to stare at the autopsy report.

The medicine that killed Ty Reed was laced with atroquinine.

_Mr. Gavin…you…_

()()()()()

"Daddy, why is Polly being so secretive?"

"Trucy, it's Apollo's turn to have a secret mission."

"Do you know what it is, Daddy?"

"Not really, Truce. Just that he's helping Edgeworth."

"Why didn't he tell me about the trial tomorrow? Why doesn't he want me to help?" Trucy asked angrily.

Phoenix hugged his clearly worried daughter. Phoenix had heard that Kristoph had broken out of prison, and Apollo had pretty much locked himself in his office, not even bothering to go home. He hoped the young attorney wouldn't do anything stupid, but this was far from a guarantee. Between his work on the jurist system, his job at the club, and his overdue return to law school, he hadn't really had time to notice the young attorney's reaction. As he ran his fingers through his daughter's hair, he silently prayed that Apollo would persevere.

()()()()()

Kristoph paced outside the courthouse, looking at his watch. The trial for the unfortunate woman was about to start, and Kristoph wondered how much Apollo really knew. Although Kristoph had spent a long time in solitary, he had his ways of getting information. One was a certain contact he had within a crime syndicate that specialized in selling drugs and bioweapons. His contact had provided him with access to atroquinine many times over the years.

Kristoph didn't trust his contact in the slightest. He had read in the paper about the elderly man's murder, and it wasn't hard for him to figure out that he had killed him. Why did Justice have to take this case? His contact was more dangerous than Kristoph had ever been, and Kristoph couldn't ignore the pang of certain dread in the back of his mind.

Kristoph wasn't exactly sure why he felt the need to protect him. No…he knew why. Despite everything that had happened, Apollo was an important part of his life. And he knew he'd go crazy if he learned of his former student's death from a sketchy contact or a newspaper. And besides…escaping from jail provided the ultimate opportunity for revenge on a certain veteran attorney.

He passed by his reflection in a mirror and sighed. His beautiful golden locks had been dyed black, and his hair was tucked under a hat. He couldn't bear to cut his hair – it was just too pretty. Dying it already caused nearly severe trauma.

_Sir…have you ever considered cutting your hair?_

_No._

_You don't need to get offended…_

_Would you cut off your spikes?_

_Well…dammit, you've got a point…_

Did he really miss those times that much? Kristoph shrugged as he made his way into the gallery of Courtroom Number Two.

()()()()

"And that's why Miss Chin had to kill the victim. Her name was written on the napkin! With his dying breath, Mr. Reed identified…" Payne's voice droned on for ages before Apollo finally snapped.

"OBJECTION! How many times has the victim ACTUALLY written the name of the real killer?"

"Objection overruled. Mr. Justice, anything in this universe must have blatantly fake 'definitive' evidence. Otherwise the world will end."

Apollo sighed at the judge's words as Payne smirked.

"Mr. Justice. It's just like every crime scene has to have a stepladder," Payne said, grinning.

"Or a witness has to be the real killer?" Apollo asked sarcastically.

"Urk…"

The judge banged his gavel, ceasing the chatter.

"Ahem…now please bring out your decisive witness, Mr. Payne."

Kristoph sighed as he watched the trial progress. He was surprised that Trucy was nowhere to be found. From what Kristoph heard, Apollo was never without his aide, and the thought piqued Kristoph's curiosity. Kristoph had one more pressing reason to escape from prison – to inflict as much pain on Phoenix Wright as he could muster. But until then, he'd settle for making sure Apollo didn't get himself hurt.

As expected, Apollo had been sharp up to this point. He had pointed out that the elderly victim had almost no motor skills to be able to write any sort of note, and that Alice Chin had no possible access to atroquinine. Kristoph smiled, knowing that he had helped create confident man standing at the defense's bench. Even in his confinement, Kristoph had heard just how tenacious and skillful Apollo had become and how it had become quite difficult to enlist his services due to the sheer number of requests. Kristoph watched as Apollo's eyes burned into the witness stand with apprehension.

The decisive witness was indeed Kristoph's contact, Yuri Overhead. He looked ordinary and average in almost every way – medium build, brown hair, average height, and looked no more intimidating than Trucy; however, Kristoph knew that beneath the calm demeanor was a man with no morals and no regard for anyone other than himself.

Apollo seemed to be quite aware of the danger in front of him as he stared the witness down. Edgeworth had warned him about the consequences of bringing up the syndicate too early. He swallowed and slowly listened to what the man had to say.

"I noticed the defendant enter the victim's room at ten. She left the room five minutes later. No one else entered the room at that time."

It was concise and clear, and Apollo knew that it would certainly look very bad for his client. He stared hard at the defendant as he spoke.

_No one else. That's impossible. No…one...wait._

Apollo smirked as his eyes were drawn to the man's nose. It was very slight, but he could see his nostrils flare.

"Gotcha."

"Pardon?"

"Mr. Overhead. You can't hide your nervous habit."

"What are you playing at?"

"Your nostrils."

"OBJECTION! This is ridiculous!" Payne shrieked, but the judge held up his hand.

"Overruled. Let Mr. Justice finish."

"Yes…let Justice finish. Any man willing to yell 'gotcha' deserves to be heard," Yuri said, smirking.

"Well…no one else entered during that time? I bet that's a lie. Your flaring nostrils give you away."

"So…you've got me. My nostrils flare when I'm nervous. Now, is anyone not nervous when they testify? I'm not much of a public speaker."

Apollo cursed. He thought he had him. He had to try a different approach.

"I'm not necessarily accusing you of anything, so relax. I'm just thinking…were you staring at the door the entire time? You were visiting another patient…someone could have easily slipped in while you were distracted by your own duties. That's why you're nervous."

"You're a smart man, Mr. Justice. I was doing my job, after all."

From the gallery, Kristoph grinned. Justice had won.

"So…you work at the clinic?" Apollo asked, trying to hide his own sly smile.

"Hm?"

"Your job. Meaning…you were working there?"

"Er…"

"Because you're not on the employee list I got this morning."

"No…I meant my visiting duties…as a friend."

"Oh? Who were you visiting?"

"Objection! This is…unjust…!" Payne began. The judge interrupted him.

"Overruled. He's not badgering. You're the one who brought him as a witness."

"It's okay your honor. Because the only other room on that floor was vacant…" Apollo said quietly. "So…why were you on the top floor? Because you weren't working there and you weren't visiting another patient!" Apollo yelled dramatically, his finger outstretched. After a pause for effect, he took a sip of water to hydrate his chords of steel.

Yuri Overhead's nostrils were pulsating. He began to laugh.

"Mr. Justice…you have made a grave error. At least…for you…"

"I've got you on perjury…your testimony is worthless. And I believe that Payne has no other witnesses. Any judge would find her innocent at this point."

"You don't understand."

Kristoph recognized the man's glint, and he suddenly had the most horrible feeling in the world.

Apollo knew it too. He began to struggle for air.

"You shouldn't yell so much."

He felt his throat constrict, and he struggled to stay on his feet.

"You'll wear yourself out."

Apollo collapsed onto the ground, shaking dramatically before losing consciousness.

* * *

Please read and review. Merci beaucoup.


	3. Bison

I hope you aren't mad at me for the small cliffy…oh well. It least it's only been a week. Come now, rejoice. My crappy updating hasn't kicked in yet…

Disclaimer: I do not own the ace attorney series or any of its characters.

* * *

As soon as he saw that twisted smile, Kristoph's heart plummeted into the pit of his stomach. All he could think about was the atroquinine coursing through the young man's veins. Kristoph was no stranger to the poison, and he had suspected that Overhead would pull something of the sort.

Kristoph leapt from the gallery and raced to the young attorney who was convulsing on the ground. Alice Chin was already on the phone, calling the paramedics. Payne in a rare moment of heroics bolted out of the courtroom to chase after the escaped witness. The judge was shouting for order, failing miserably.

"Move," Kristoph said harshly. "I'm a doctor."

Kristoph wasted no time injecting the prepared antidote for atroquinine. The convulsions stopped, leaving Apollo motionless on the ground.

"Miss Chin…as a medical caregiver, I trust you know CPR."

The defendant nodded as she went through the motions. In the chaos "Doctor" Gavin escaped the courtroom, praying Apollo would be alright.

()()()()

Apollo woke up with the most horrible headache. He could tell his breath was coming up short, and he barely had the energy to sit up. He looked around, trying to figure out where he was. Everything was foggy, but he could vaguely make out the shape of an out of place top hat.

"POLLY! You're awake!"

Trucy grabbed him into a hug, causing Apollo to wince.

"Gah! Trucy! You're heavy…"

"We thought you were…" Trucy began, wiping her eyes. "Don't you dare…leave me alone."

"Trucy…" Apollo watched as Trucy began to fidget with his pillows. He rubbed his head, trying to remember what the hell happened.

"You should know that your client was acquitted. The judge said you proved her innocence before things went nuts. Well, he said it more eloquently than that…." Trucy trailed off as Apollo exhaled. "I should have been there. Why didn't you let me help?"

"I should think that would be obvious at this point, Truce."

"What do you mean?"

"He was dangerous. This whole thing was dangerous. If you stole a sip of my water as you usually do, you'd be lying here right now."

Trucy crossed her arms and looked away before leaving the room in a huff. Apollo sighed. She was worse than a sister. Apollo began to look for his television remote when he heard a small knock.

"Herr Forehead. How're you feeling?"

"Gavin…I'm fine. Well…as fine as I could be."

Klavier walked into the room, holding a bouquet of fresh flowers that cost more than Apollo's rent. The prosecutor set them down on the windowsill.

"Of course you'd get poisoned with atroquinine," Klavier muttered darkly, half chuckling.

"So that IS what it was."

"You guessed?"

"Well…the victim was killed with it. Speaking of which, what happened to Overhead?" Apollo asked, hoping that something good came with his near death experience.

"Well…Payne ran after him, but he got away. Though I've never seen Payne run. The bailiff said it was quite epic."

"Damn…" Apollo cursed, trailing off. Klavier's expression hardened as he changed the subject.

"Forehead…there's something I want to talk about."

"What?"

"You were saved by a doctor who left the scene quickly. According to Miss Chin, he injected you with some sort of antidote."

"Really?"

"You know who it has to be, ja?"

"I can't remember anything from the end of the trial. You think it was Kristoph?"

"I know it was…though I have no evidence.," Klavier muttered, his hands in his pockets. Apollo saw the most conflicted look grace the prosecutor's face, and Apollo had the same feeling. Neither of them knew whose side Kristoph was on.

"Why would he?"

"No idea."

"Have you caught him?"

"I pulled the hospital surveillance tapes for the past four days, but I don't think he ever visited you here."

"Wait…I've been here for four days?"

Klavier smiled weakly.

"You've been through a lot. I'd tell you to get some rest, but…well you have some more visitors."

"What?"

Klavier ducked out as Miles Edgeworth and Phoenix Wright entered the room, looking somber. Edgeworth managed to crack a small smile.

"Remember when I told you to tread carefully?"

"Yeah, well…"

Phoenix gave Apollo a weak smile.

"You know, I had to deal with Trucy's constant panicking. You're such a hassle…"

Apollo shot Phoenix a harsh glare before Edgeworth interrupted, speaking in a hushed voice.

"Regardless, we were quite worried. I have some information for you regarding our case, but we can wait if you need to rest."

"No," Apollo said flatly, shaking his head. "We need to take them down."

"You really should take it easy," Phoenix said grimly, clearly worried, but Edgeworth stopped him.

"He's right. Any time we waste gives more opportunity for people to get hurt," Edgeworth said, ignoring Phoenix's silent protests before continuing. "According to Kay's last report, the syndicate is called Bison. And unfortunately, she has no names to give me. She's been taking orders from a guy named Rose, but that's only a nickname."

"A guy named Rose. Really."

"Anyways, we have Agent Lang securing airports around the country. Hopefully, Overhead won't try to leave."

"How'd Kay get into Bison anyway?"

"She's using an alias."

()()()()

Everyone called him Rose.

It didn't carry a happy connotation when Rose entered a room. Known for the tattoo on his neck, Rose was quite possibly the most feared man in Bison - a dangerous crime syndicate whose name is known only to it's members. Rose was certainly not as pretty as his name would suggest. He was bald with narrow green eyes, and a scar just above his left eye. But everyone's eyes were drawn to the rose tattoo which wrapped around his neck like a very unfashionable choker. Rose was the only leader anyone ever met, and it wasn't certain if he was anyone's subordinate. He was an expert at finding skilled people to perform a wide variety of necessary criminal activities. He discovered almost all of the top criminals, including the gifted Yuri Overhead.

Rose was quite pleased with his newest addition - a female thief with a penchant for breaking into secure government buildings and stealing their most important secrets. Sure, Rose had seen a fair share of thieves enter his syndicate, but none of them had the skill to match the talented Kayla Byrne.

Bison worked like a small corporation. There were enough expendable members for security and minor hits, but there were a few jobs that needed specialists. Yuri Overhead was the best black market salesman he could ask for. He had an assassin who had never even been suspected of murder, despite his many victims. Until recently, there was a thief that could steal from the top mob bosses. Rose had felt personally grief-stricken when he was forced into retirement by cancer. He had died the month before.

Rose needed a replacement to carry out his plans, and he needed someone who specialized in stealing information. Most professional thieves could steal paintings, cash, and artifacts, but when it came to information gathering, they were hopelessly inept. That was when he discovered Kayla Byrne.

She was pretty and smart, and Rose first caught a glimpse of her in one of his favorite restaurants. As she left he noticed that she had somehow left the restaurant with every piece of employee data on the place. The next morning, he saw that the place was closing and that several mobsters had been arrested with the help of an anonymous tip.

He knew it had to be her, and after a few days, he finally chased her to a rather nice apartment. He knocked, and she opened the door, a gun in her hand.

"This place is registered to a Kayla Byrne, who apparently pays in cash every month. Who are you really?" Rose asked, not even flinching at the gun.

"A man known only as Rose is asking me for my name?"

"You've done your homework."

"You've been following me for about a week. Of course I looked into you. What do you want?"

"I have…a proposition. I know it was you who tipped off the police about that mobster joint."

"And?"

"I'd like to know why."

"I was paid. End of discussion."

"Just money?"

"Need I spell it out for you? If I see an opportunity to make money, I take it."

"And if I offered you more money than you could possibly envision?"

The woman smiled, a childish grin escaping her stunning face.

()()()()

Apollo sighed as he began to pack his small bag. He was out of breath. Again. The poison had done a number on his lungs, but he had still been cleared to go home to rest, much to his delight. He was really tired of hospitals. From the overpriced TV to the ridiculous backless gown, he needed to go home. He needed to sit somewhere and think where he wouldn't be interrupted by constant doctors and visitors. All he needed was for someone to check him out.

"Morning, Apollo."

"Mr. Wright, thanks for coming."

"Don't mention it. Oh, I've got something to show you."

Phoenix pulled out a familiar gold badge, but his looked brand new. Apollo recognized it immediately, his eyes growing wide.

"Mr. Wright! You got reinstated!"

"Yep. Couldn't have done it without you."

"That's wonderful."

"And the best part is, while you take some sick leave, I can handle any cases in the meantime."

"I don't need…" Apollo began, before having to catch his breath.

"Until you can breathe without wheezing, I've got it under control. You need to rest, or I'll let Trucy take care of you."

"That can't be so bad…"

"…she'll confiscate your hair gel. My spikes never recovered."

"…okay, fine."

After checking him out, Phoenix walked Apollo home, feeling incredibly lucky. Phoenix had arrived home earlier in the week to find his daughter in tears with Klavier Gavin trying to comfort her, but clearly agitated himself. The doctors didn't think he'd survive, and by all accounts, the fact that he was walking with Phoenix down the street was a God-given miracle.

"Hey."

"What is it Apollo?"

"You've been in a daze. We're already here."

Phoenix waved goodbye as Apollo entered his building, hustling up to his own apartment. As he opened the door, he was greeted by a familiar figure sitting at his kitchen table.

"It seems you're doing well, Justice. I'll admit, I was quite worried."

"…Kristoph."

* * *

I'm sorry if Kay seemed a little out of character, but she's undercover, and she will have opportunities to act more like her awesome self later on. And I PROMISE some Kristoph/Apollo fluff for next chapter…finally.

And I would love to hear your thoughts on Rose as the story goes on. I needed to make a bad guy, so this is the first major OC I have ever written (not counting regular fiction), and I would love your thoughts and criticism. I know he's not well developed yet, but I've got plans for him, and I would love your input.

READ AND REVIEW! Also, I'm considering the idea of adding the occasional bonus chapter on the end of Yes, Sir. You know, fluffy Kristoph/Apollo moments? Tell me what you think! Ideas are always welcome!


	4. Past

I apologize for the delay, but I actually have a legit excuse. My laptop was with the IT people, and it took several weeks for them to get the right monitor part delivered. At least that's what they told me. Oh well, I have it back now! Flashbacks are in italics. And one other note, when I uploaded this thing, my document did some screwy things, and I spent quite a bit of time fixing them, but I don't know if I got them all, so bear with me.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Ace Attorney series or any of its characters.

* * *

"Kristoph…what are you doing here?

Kristoph smiled as his former apprentice took the seat across from him, looking solemn.

"Justice…thank god you're alright," Kristoph said quietly, and he meant it. Kristoph had heard the attorney was in a coma for several days, and doctors didn't know if he'd come out of it. Apollo continued to stare hard at his former mentor.

"You were the one that saved me, weren't you?" the attorney asked, staring straight ahead.

"You've proven that there's not much point in lying to you," Kristoph replied, smiling. "I knew Overhead might try to pull something, so I watched the trial with the antidote for atroquinine ready. It always was his favorite."

"There's one thing that's bothering me though," Apollo began, scratching his chin. "What the hell did you do to your hair?"

Kristoph paused before realizing that his wonderful locks were still dyed jet black. Apollo began to laugh.

"I know disguising yourself was the point, but…you look really dumb, Mr. Gavin," giggled Apollo, temporarily forgetting the circumstances. Even Kristoph began to chuckle. Here he was, in Apollo's apartment on the run from the cops, and instead of calling the police, Apollo brings up his hair.

"Yes, laugh. You don't hear much laughter in a solitary cell."

"Mr. Gavin?"

"Yes, Justice?"

"How…how did you know about Overhead?"

Kristoph looked at the man before him, cocking his head. He could tell him. But he was in Apollo's apartment, and Apollo was too obsessed with the law to let him go freely.

"Justice, I have a proposition. If you let me walk out of here freely, I will help you in any way I can with your investigation into Bison."

"You know about…?"

"Yes…I know about them. I know more than you and Miles Edgeworth could dig up on your own," Kristoph said quietly. He looked into Apollo's eyes, and he could tell he was considering the proposition very carefully.

"Whether or not you go free depends on what you know," Apollo began slowly. "I know I owe you…but I also know that I can't be the only reason for your escape from prison. I don't know what you plan to do…and that scares me."

Kristoph watched as the attorney fiddled with the badge on his lapel. Instead of answering, Kristoph elected to talk.

"I met Overhead long before I met you, Justice. He was one of my first clients, and he was on trial for a murder that he actually didn't commit. Yes, he was involved with shady characters, but he wasn't guilty, and I got him acquitted."

"He was innocent?"

"Of that particular crime, yes. However, during my course of investigation, I discovered a multitude of evidence linking him to the black market. I discovered that if you needed to buy or sell anything, like weapons, drugs, or stolen goods, he was the guy you went to."

"You're saying he was your atroquinine supplier…" Apollo whispered, piecing the puzzle together.

"Yes. I had so much dirt on him, and he sold me everything I needed. Of course, this worked both ways. We both could ruin each other at any time, so we had a very twisted relationship of trust."

"So…if you reported Overhead, he'd get you thrown in prison and vice versa."

"Exactly."

"But…what stopped you from just killing each other?"

"It wasn't in our best interests. I needed his services, and he had to think twice about killing such a lucrative client."

Apollo nodded, still blown away at how casually Kristoph was talking about his relationship with Yuri Overhead. He opened his mouth to speak before feeling a slight pain in his chest, causing him to stop suddenly. Kristoph noticed and jumped over to his former apprentice.

"Apollo? Are you sure you're okay?"

"Mr. Gavin…I'm fine. Really."

"You shouldn't overdo it."

"I'm fine. I'm not working for a while. Now that Mr. Wright has his badge back, he's covering for me…"

Kristoph blanched when he heard the attorney had been reinstated. After all the trouble he went through to make the man miserable, he had found a way to get it all back. Kristoph's seething was interrupted by another bout of Apollo's coughing, causing the former attorney more concern.

"Justice…I've decided I'm not going to walk out of here."

"Really," Apollo said dryly.

"I'm going to stay here and keep an eye on you," Kristoph said, smiling at the younger man.

"So, instead of running away, you want me to break a zillion laws by hiding you in my apartment?"

"Of course not…I bought an apartment upstairs."

"Wh…what?"

"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Dr. Chris Tolliver. I moved in about three days ago. I heard you were returning from the hospital, so I'll just check in from time to time," Kristoph said, smiling as he adjusted his glasses. Apollo began to chuckle again.

"You? A doctor?"

"Is that skepticism, Justice? I saved your life didn't I?"

"Yeah. But I seem to remember a time when I got bit by that witness's dog…" Apollo chuckled, grinning widely. Kristoph's face began to redden. It had been before Apollo had gone to college, and Kristoph had been interviewing the witness at his office, where Apollo was helping him with some cleaning.

"_Justice! Wh-what happened?"_

"_I…I don't know. I think that her dog doesn't like me…"_

"_But…your hand. It needs medical attention!"_

"_Mr. Gavin…it's fine. I just need a bandage."_

"_Justice, I don't want it to get infected! You should go to the emergency room."_

"_Mr. Gavin?"_

"_What? Does it hurt?"_

"_It's already stopped bleeding. And the dog was a toy poodle."_

Kristoph smirked at the memory.

"Fine. I don't like dogs. They're disgusting, foul creatures."

"It was a toy poodle named Fluffy," Apollo replied flatly.

"She could have…!" Kristoph began before Apollo interrupted him again.

"She was only eight pounds, sir."

Apollo continued to laugh as Kristoph's face reddened, and he couldn't help but notice that his former mentor was smiling. Apollo swallowed.

"Mr. Gavin…I won't…tell. But I won't cover for you. If Klavier gets wind of your staying here…I'm not taking the fall."

"That works out just fine. Thank you, Justice."

Apollo knew he was making a huge mistake. Kristoph was evil, and he didn't act without some kind of self-serving goal in mind. But somewhere, Apollo prayed that Kristoph would be saved from the devil within himself. He watched Kristoph slip out the door, hanging on to the tiniest of hopes that he would not regret his decision.

()()()()

"Overhead! What is the meaning of this?"

"It's good to see you too, Rose."

When Yuri Overhead turned up at Rose's bedroom in the middle of the night, Rose nearly strangled the Russian on the spot. The man had almost all of Interpol looking for him, and unfortunately, Shi-Long Lang was not an agent Rose particularly wanted Bison to deal with.

"Yuri…you were careless."

"I'm sorry, but I killed Reed, just as you asked. No one knows about what he made…"

"What he made is none of your concern. My concern is that you being a wanted man makes you a liability to my plans."

"What? All I need is somewhere to lay low, Rose…"

"You were a funny guy. I will truly miss you from the bottom of my heart," whispered Rose, who did feel genuine sadness. Overhead opened his mouth to protest when a single shot rang out. Overhead crumpled to the ground, blood pouring from the circular wound in the middle of his forehead.

()()()()

Miles Edgeworth sat at his desk, mulling over countless papers relating to Bison. Trying to link together everything logically proved to be difficult, as there were so many crimes that Bison COULD have been involved in, but Edgeworth couldn't be sure. It didn't help that he was distracted by the fact that the young attorney he'd been working with was almost murdered inside a courtroom, not to mention that the young woman who'd been Edgeworth's closest companion for the past seven years was currently in the middle of a highly dangerous undercover operation. Edgeworth swallowed as he got up from his desk, in desperate need for a break.

As he walked the halls of the prosecutor's office, he passed by the horrifically loud music of Prosecutor Klavier Gavin. Edgeworth had learned that the louder the music, the more stressed the ex rock star was, and the music was louder than Edgeworth could remember. Of course, he couldn't blame the guy. Per his request, Klavier was in charge of his brother's escape case. Edgeworth knocked on the door before Klavier gestured him in.

"Herr Edgeworth? To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Prosecutor Gavin. I actually had a quick favor to ask you."

"Name it."

"I believe you worked on a case maybe six years ago regarding a Mr. Ty Reed?"

"Hmm…that was the victim in the trial where forehead…"

"That would be him."

"Actually, I know the case you're talking about, but it was actually a cold case. It was Prosecutor Von Karma's case before mine."

"Franziska?"

"Nein. Her father's."

Edgeworth swallowed, trying not to think too hard about Manfred Von Karma. It had been a long time since he'd been sent to prison, and to Edgeworth's understanding, he had died many years ago. Klavier began rummaging through his file cabinets, continuing his conversation.

"After his arrest, it came out that a lot of his evidence was quite possibly forged. I was one of the people in charge of sifting through his old cases."

"Why you?"

"I've got a reputation. Apparently, I'm sort of an expert on exposing evidence forgeries…"

Edgeworth knew that Klavier Gavin had been the one to expose Wright. For a time, Edgeworth hated Klavier. He knew Wright would never be stupid enough to forge evidence himself, and he blamed Klavier for eliminating one of the few lawyers who stuck up for the truth. But as Edgeworth began to know Klavier, he realized that Klavier was also one of the good guys. He was much more concerned about the truth than a win record, and Edgeworth respected him for it.

"Ah, here it is. Ty Reed was a witness in a manslaughter trial 30 years ago. He testified against a scientist named Peter Salt, who accidentally blew up a laboratory that killed three bystanders," Klavier said, reading the file. "He was convicted largely based on Mr. Reed's testimony because explosions don't leave much usable evidence behind."

"Can I talk to Salt?"

"Well, he'd be about 95 if he was alive, and I don't think he is. Though I did confirm that at least one piece of evidence was most likely forged. The file's in the records room."

"Thanks," Edgeworth replied before he felt his phone vibrate once. He pulled it out and looked at the text.

_NNNGGHHOOOO_

Edgeworth chuckled before excusing himself from Gavin's office. He made his way to his car, got in, and drove to Gatewater Land, where a young woman was waiting outside the wild west saloon.

"Kay…isn't it dangerous for you to be here?"

"Aw…c'mon Mr. Edgeworth. At least act happier than that! Like the text?"

"Kay, if your boss finds out you're here…"

"Relax, would you? We've got more important things to talk about. Like the fact that Overhead is dead."

"Wh…what?"

"I don't have the name of the trigger man, but Rose had him killed because of what happened at that trial. And no, I still don't have Rose's real name."

"Kay…are you sure you're okay with this?" Edgeworth asked, clearly concerned. He couldn't shake the fact that Rose had obviously killed someone who had worked for him much longer than Kay had, and the man would have no issue with killing Kay if he found out her identity. Kay, on the other hand, brushed Edgeworth's reservations aside.

"Geez, Mr. Edgeworth, this is my job! I even got a picture of Rose!"

"What? Really?"

"To be precise, I entered his data into Little Thief from memory, and then I took a picture of that. Neat, right?" Kay giggled, revealing her picture.

"Kay, you're invaluable," Edgeworth mumbled, analyzing the photo. He didn't recognize the man at all, but none of the other officers managed to take a picture of the guy. Edgeworth was interrupted by Kay once more, but her tone was much more serious.

"Hey, I have more important information for you. I know what he wants me to steal."

"What?"

"Data for the MASON system."

"That game Wright was using?" Edgeworth asked, taken aback. He had been expecting weapons plans or data that could compromise national security; the last thing to cross his mind was some electronic simulation.

"You got it. Though, I have no idea why he wants it," Kay muttered, shrugging her shoulders. Edgeworth looked at Kay and smiled.

"Kay…I could kiss you."

"Really? Sorry, but that's more than awkward," Kay replied, laughing.

"I'm kidding, but I've been working this case for ages, and this is the biggest break we've ever had."

"No sweat, Mr. Edgeworth. But I do have to steal this data, and I don't know what Rose plans to do with it. It could be dangerous."

Edgeworth sighed. In his head, he tried to connect all the pieces of this bizarre case. Bison was directed by a guy known as Rose, and he hired Kay to steal data for a machine that could offer glimpses into the past. He had a dying man silenced, most likely due to his knowledge and involvement with an explosion that happened 30 years ago. He had killed his own man because he had caused a scene in the courtroom. He shook his head before responding to his good friend.

"You're right Kay…but has danger ever stopped us before?"

* * *

All right, read and review. I know it looks like two completely different stories at the moment, but they will intertwine, cross my heart. Updates will be every two weeks from now on, assuming my computer doesn't die again.


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